Young people’s voices need to be heard in the quest for healthy lifestyles.
Consumers of the future are raising the bar for socially conscious and progressive businesses, and they are pressuring the food industry to do more to promote children’s health.
It’s not hard to see why. More young people than ever before understand the value of good health and a more environmentally friendly food system. In the UK, however, over three million youth under the age of eighteen are vulnerable to diet-related illness; those residing in our most impoverished neighbourhoods are more than twice as likely to be impacted. In England, one in three elementary school graduates is either obese or overweight already.
In order to guarantee that the industry contributes to the resolution of this situation, radical reform is required, and further action must be taken.
The inequities in the food system and the effect obesity has on health outcomes have become even more apparent as a result of COVID-19. Now is the time to accelerate change politically and in terms of public appetite and available policy space.
As the food business deepens its commitment to the health of the country, it is imperative that it pays attention to the voices of youth. The bad food that is available on store shelves, in school canteens, and on our main streets has a profound impact on all of us. People of all ages are itching for change in the wake of the upheavals of the last several years. Young people are also making it very evident that they want to see more constructive action from industry.
For this reason, The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) is excited to have Bite Back 2030 as a speaker at its Global Summit in Dublin, where senior executives from the sector will hear from remarkable youth. The youth-led initiative Bite Back aims to create a more equitable and healthful food system. By 2030, it hopes to have cut in half the number of kids at risk of diet-related illnesses.
Jamie Oliver, who has spoken at the CGF Global Summit before, co-founded Bite Back with the goal of empowering the next generation of food activists who share the conviction that all youth, regardless of where they live, should have access to a healthy diet. The goal of the organisation is for youth to be the main advocates for changes to our food system. It locates, enlists, and prepares inspiring young activists, enabling them to spearhead campaigns and devise novel solutions by connecting them with policymakers in the federal, state, and local governments, the food sector, and educational institutions.
What is the goal of Bite Back?
Bite Back is demanding greater openness, funding for paediatric healthcare, and a position on consumer company boards that is dedicated to health issues. In 2022, the youth firmly think that these are realistic goals. It will benefit businesses because it is the moral thing to do for individuals and communities.
The Consumer products Forum (CGF), the only CEO-led organisation that unites consumer products producers and retailers worldwide, is the coalition behind Collaboration for Healthier Lives. CGF is committed to assisting retailers and makers of consumer goods in working together with other important stakeholders to promote positive change for people and the environment.
Over 160 global merchants, manufacturers, NGOs, academia, governments, and public health experts come together as Collaboration for Healthier Lives. Its mission is to support individuals in every community across the globe in making better decisions on a daily basis.
CGF acknowledges that Bite Back 2030, along with other health advocates, is naturally dissatisfied about the UK’s failure to enact high fat, salt, and sugar (HFSS) legislation before the deadline, which would have limited the availability of bulk deals like Buy One Get One Free. Health advocates and even Henry Dimbleby, the government’s own advisor on food matters, are of the opinion that the government’s new food policy for England falls short.
Don’t take action and fall behind
But legislation is only a portion of the answer. To assist consumers in choosing healthier options, much more comprehensive policies are required throughout the entire food industry. Retailers and food companies are in a strong position to make sure that healthier options are more broadly accessible, reasonably priced, and marketed as inspiring and uplifting choices. In the London Boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark, for instance, members are testing in-store activations to promote healthier products and make them more accessible. At CGF, we have personally observed the impact of solving challenges through focused, localised action.
Customers, staff members, investors, and partners are rewarding companies that act morally to enhance community health. Businesses will fall behind if they do nothing.
In order to live longer, healthier, and more active lives, young people want the ability to make changes in their health and wellness. Their voices need to be heard more than anything. The food sector has to get involved in bettering food systems by raising the voices and advocacy of young customers.